Al-Tahira Syriac Catholic Church

Al-Tahira Syriac Catholic Church
Church of the Immaculate Conception
The church pictured in 2009
Al-Tahira Syriac Catholic Church
36°16′13.74″N 43°22′37.62″E / 36.2704833°N 43.3771167°E / 36.2704833; 43.3771167
LocationQaraqosh, Nineveh Governorate
CountryIraq
DenominationRoman Catholic
History
StatusActive
Founded1862 (1862)
DedicationOur Lady of the Immaculate Conception
Architecture
Architectural typeChurch
Years built
  • 1859–1862
  • 1932–1948
  • 2020–2025
Completed1 September 2025 (2025-09-01)

The Al-Tahira Syriac Catholic Church, also known as the Church of the Immaculate Conception, is a Syriac Catholic church located in the city of Qaraqosh, Iraq, 32 km (20 mi) southeast of Mosul. Originally opened in 1948, the church was largely destroyed by the Islamic State during their invasion of the city in 2014, with what remained being turned into a makeshift shooting range. After the city's liberation in 2016, reconstruction efforts began on the church. Pope Francis notably visited church during its reconstruction on his visit to Iraq in 2021. The church officially reopened on 1 September 2025 in a ceremony attended by the Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani.